6. "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7. "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8. "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." 10. Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying 11."Pass through the camp and command the people saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in and possess the land which the Lord you God is giving you to possess.'"

To solve the problems we face as a church community, we must strengthen our intention and make it reality. To paraphrase Romans 7: I know what I should do and I don't do it. How do we take the question of what we should be and doing and actually make it happen? The years are going by - I see many gray heads in this room. This is our today. Not tomorrow. This is all we have. Jesus read Isaiah in the temple and said, "TODAY this has been fulfilled in your hearing."

For many years now, I have lived in land of ma ana. The western world is more guilty of procrastination: we need to talk it over and over and over and over and over and then, the bus is gone.

I am clear of 2 things: 1) What are we to do? and 2) How are we to do it?

WE have been chosen, just as Joshua was chosen. He had to turn dreams into houses and land. God said, "Take them out of the desert and into the Promised Land." Brothers and sisters, we have been in the desert. Our church is going 'round and 'round in the desert. God has blessed this time because there is lots to learn in desert.

But now it is time to move on.

Why is it time to move on? Because there is a world out there that needs to hear about Jesus. While we are in meetings, who is telling the world?

The Holy Spirit came to get the disciples out of the upper room. Otherwise they would still be there. It was not an implosion but explosion. Even that wasn't enough. Persecution came and then they left Jerusalem. God said, "You will be my witnesses to... the uttermost part of the earth," but they stayed in Jerusalem. Then came persecution and they had to leave. Finally, they didn't have a choice.

As they left, they shared the most import things in their lives. They gossiped Jesus Christ all over Babylonia. If you have Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour, it will come out of your mouth and your life and your eyes and everywhere you go. God wants to be our first love. It must be Him that people see when they see us.

How do we get out? Joshua was the man who had the secret in his heart. If you haven't got it in your heart it won't be what you do.

1. Joshua had God's word that He was with him. God is with us now. just as he was with those who were before: With Paul, With Cranmer, With Whitfield and Wesley. He is with us. The same God in the same Way.

God loves you as much as he has loved anyone. Funny, our children get ideas that you preferred this one or that one over them. Isn't it funny? God loves you as much as he loves anybody. That love transforms your life. You cannot love until you have been loved. We are humans not the creator; we are the object of His creation. He's not with you more than me; but with us both. Was with Joshua as much as he was with Moses. Joshua could have said, "Hey, lets give it a couple of months." But he didn't. Because he knew that it wasn't about Moses, it was about God. With God, you are the majority.

It doesn't matter who you are. With God you are the majority. You just have to walk beside Him. That's what it means to be a Child of God. Not childish. We have to grow up. I said it to you all in Ireland and you were offended. But I was right. God is with you and today is the day. He won't be more with you tomorrow. Joshua knew that God's promises were his; as well as anyone else's.

2. He said to Jacob, "Every place the soul of your foot touches will be yours." Then Josh claimed that promise. You have to claim that promise. How many of God's promises are you clinging to? Read Psalm 91; that a promise. These promises are yours. You just need to put your name on it. Take it and claim it. Its yours.

3. Get a vision of what God wants you to do in your ministry. Ask him! He will tell you. Until you have the vision you won't be able to make it a reality. It takes planning to become reality. Until you know where you are going you won't get anywhere. Have a plan, have a vision for what God is calling you to do. Get a vision. Joshua had a vision. A holistic, physical and mental vision. Have to work it out or you won't make it.

4. Be strong and of good courage. Vs 6: be strong. vs.7: only be strong vs. 9: have I not commanded you be strong and courageous? God repeats himself because we are not listening. Why does he say do not be frightened? Because we are frightened, and He knows it. We are afraid and that is a major weapon of enemy. Paralyzed with fear. Don't be! When we get there and look back we will see how foolish we were to be frightened. Why not? Because He is with us.

Psalm 23: ..."even though I walk through the valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear not evil." Why? Because God is with me. Corrie ten Boom said, "God doesn't give the ticket until you get to the station." You have to get yourself up and you will find Him.

5. vs 7 and 8: "Be careful to do all according to the law. Do all that is written in it." We must know scripture; learn scripture; obey scripture. This is the Word of the Lord. He has told us how to live and we need to know what this book says. We're so intelligent now that we can work it out on our own, right? We can exclude those bad taste bits of the Bible that are deleted from the lectionary, Right? No. This is the Word of the Lord and we should know it. The challenge is how much time you give to the Lord and the Word of God every day. We are very busy people. What is your priority? How much time do you give? Anglicanism has always been very strong on this. But, we are a bit further on now, and we ignore that admonition. How much scripture do you have in your daily life? What will you do now that I have reminded you? What you are is what goes into your mouth, eyes and ears.

I once counseled a man who had terrible troubles sleeping and had many fears and anxiety. Asked him what do you do in the night? He said, "I watch tv."

I replied, "You are filling yourself with garbage. No wonder you have nightmares."

How about you? What is the last thing you look at before you close your eyes? We were taught as children - take to sleep a verse of Scripture to let it percolate rather than the problems that will still be there in the morning. Rest in the Word of God.

Brothers and sisters, get back to the Word of God. Preach the whole gospel. Stop debating issues. Don't go down that road. Preach the Word. 2 Tim 4: "I charge you (paul wouldn't have gotten far with clergy today!) preach the Word. Be ready in season and out of season. The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching. They will accumulate teachers to suit their own passions. They will turn away from the truth and wander off into myths. As for you....Fulfill your ministry..."

6. In Vs. 10: Joshua told them to prepare 3 days' provisions. Joshua put a date to it. This is important because we are brilliant at putting things off: Doctors appointments, dentists, whatever. Josh knew that is a temptation. In 3 days, we are going. Take the initiative. Today is the day of salvation. You will never know more than you know now.

Not long ago, I had to go to one of those interesting Primates meetings. I got on my knees before leaving Buenos Aires and said, " Lord, I don't know what to do."

'Greg,' "that's what he calls me; Mom called me Gregory. 'When you set off all those years ago did you know what would happen? Did you know what to do?'

"No lord," I replied. 'Well,' he replied, 'Nothing has changed. Just go and do it. I will take care of you. Just go and do it.'

That's why you have to know where you are going. Submit to what Holy Spirit is going to ask you to do before you get there. If you wait 'til you get there, you may not make the right decision. You have to say yes before you get there. With the kids, I always said, don't wait until you are in the situation until you make the decision. Decide before you need to. Then you know.

Remember Philip in the chariot? He resolved to say yes before the moment got there. Be ready before the time comes and be prepared to do it. The world will present all sorts of reason to wait until tomorrow. Philip ran to the chariot, and was invited to get in and the kingdom was won. Africa heard the gospel. God set it up.

Finally. Be prepared to go in recognizing that it is physical, mental and spiritual. You have to put self out in terms of who you are: your temperament, mind, personality. Then be prepared to enter into spiritual warfare. Because there is a war going on and you need to put on the Armor of God (Ephesians 6: 11-17) day by day. Gird your loins; take it day by day. Sleep with your armor on if you must and then stand firm. AMEN?

And the assembly replied, "Amen."

That is my prayer for each of you: Stand Firm. Believe in the un-believable, for that is what God in Christ has become. I bid you peace.

---Archbishop Gregory Venables is Primate of the Southern Cone